The Portrait of Godric Gryffindor
by Tonkswyrda
Summary: Tonks gets stuck in Gryffindors portrait... and the painted knight starts... flirting?


The hall was silent apart from the sound of her boots, clacking on the hardwood floor. The wooden panels shone in the late afternoon sun. Clouds of dust rose as she walked through the hall between desks and chairs and statues and a podium blanketed with white sheets.

Tonks shivered. October, and it was already freezing. She pulled her cloak closer to her slender frame and looked around hopelessly.

He wasn't here.

She had known he wouldn't be. Just because it was Halloween didn't mean he would come back to Godrics hollow. And even if he had, why would he be in the old meeting hall? She sighed.

"Stupid idea anyway," she muttered to herself, kicking the floor aimlessly. Obviously, Remus wasn't here. God knows where he was… probably at a pub somewhere. She wasn't even sure why she wanted to find him so badly tonight- apart from the obvious. She missed him. She'd been avoiding him so much, and on Halloween of all nights- well perhaps it was just because he shouldn't have to be alone for it. "Should've just asked Molly," she muttered, angry with herself now. That would have been the smart thing to do…

"Sorry, could I help you with something?"

Tonks whipped around. The room was empty.

"I'm over here."

She turned again, and was faced with a long wall with paintings spaced evenly across it- some of them were covered with white sheets too.

"Um… Hello?" she called.

"In here!" one of the paintings waved. It was a knight, dressed in a burnished chest plate covered with a red and gold cloak, with thick blonde hair sitting on his shoulders. He waved again merrily.

"OH! Sorry, I didn't think… muggle buildings, you know…" Tonks stepped forward, and rubbed the gold name plate below the ornate frame. "Godric Gryffindor? Oh, well. Hi." She gave a small smile, and the painted Gryffindor gave her a bow. "How did you know I was a witch though?" she frowned.

"Hello to you too!" he grinned. "Your wand is sticking out of your pocket." He pointed.

"Oh, right, crap…" hastily she moved it to the inside pocket of her cloak.

"But really, can I help you with something? I heard you muttering…"

"Oh, right. No, no, it's okay. I was just looking for someone… obviously they're not here though."

Godric shook his head, golden curls bouncing. "We have not had visitors before you for many days. There's a new hall, you see. They're moving everything out of here, or storing it."

"I see." Tonks looked round at all the white sheets. "But what is magic portrait doing in a muggle hall?

Godric shrugged. "I was painted by a good friend of mine, a wizard. Of course, that just means a lot of stand still, but this village is named after me, you know, and I am the nicest painting of me." He grinned again, and Tonks almost swore his tooth twinkled. She shook her head.

"Oh. Right."

"You say that a lot." The painting noted. Tonks shrugged, running her finger over his name plate.

"So, being Godric Gryffindor, are you being stored or are you being moved?" Tonks asked conversationally.

He didn't reply. Looking up Tonks saw that he wasn't moving. "What the…"

"Talking to yourself, wee Dorrie?" a high pitched baby voice called out from behind her.

Tonks wheeled around, cursing as she fumbled for her wand, before remembering she'd put it in a different pocket, but she had only just found it when something hit her in the stomach, hard.

Everything went black.

"Are you alright?"

The figure in front of her swam in and out of focus as Tonks pulled herself into a sitting position. Her whole body felt like it had been crushed.

"Eurgh, my head…" blinking, she looked up. A golden haired knight was crouched over her, concerned.

"Ma'am, are you alright? Miss?"

"WHAT THE HELL?" Tonks jumped up. Bad idea. She tumbled straight into Godric's chest. Quickly, she pulled herself away. "Why… why the hell am I in a painting?"

"Because I put you there, Dorrie!" Tonks turned, and saw her aunt Bellatrix grinning insanely at her. "This way you cant get into any trouble. You'll just… disappear."

Yelling, Tonks reached out- only to hit an invisible wall.

"Uh-uh. There's no way you're getting out of there. And next week they're putting these paintings in storage- forever."

"What?" Tonks whispered, her face growing pale.

"That's right. You're part of the painting now, so you cant die, you cant age, you're just going to sit there with that idiot for company-" Bellatrix jerked her head in Godrics direction, who was looking outraged at being called an idiot- "And you'll never see any of your filthy friends again, and you'll never defeat the Dark Lord!" She sounded triumphant- and mad. For a good reason, Tonks thought. She couldn't see how she was going to get out of a painting. She hadn't exactly been trained to escape paintings.

"You cant!" She yelled angrily.

"Oh but I just did, little niece." Bellatrix smiled, laughing manically. "Lets see what your traitor of a mother thinks when her darling daughter doesn't come back home… and now, I really must be off. Things to plan, people to kill. Have fun!"

Tonks watched her leave, her heart sinking. This was it, then. She was going to be stuck in a painting forever, and no one would know… they would all think she was dead… and Remus… Remus would blame himself, as usual.

"Shit." She slammed her fist against the invisible barrier.

"That's not going to help," Godric said dryly.

"I'm going to be put into storage." Tonks said coldly. "Nothing is going to help."

"I wouldn't say that." Godric replied, looking at his hands absentmindedly.

Tonks rolled her eyes. "Well, in your extremely intelligent and wonderful opinion, what would help?" She said sarcastically.

"Oh, I don't know." He said, eyebrows raised. "Obviously you won't think it's helpful, but I suppose having another portrait of myself hanging at Hogwarts might help just a little."

"Oh." Tonks blushed.

"Indeed."

"Sorry."

"Apology accepted. Now, shall we go then, see if we can't find someone there to help you?" he offered her his arm. Sniggering, Tonks linked her arm with his. Godric gave her a charming smile and winked, leading her off to a door on the left side of the room they were in. she hadn't noticed that before.

Together they stepped through the door, and into another, almost identical room- except the hangings were emblazoned with Golden lions. Tonks rushed to the frame, peering out over a long, deserted corridor.

"Great. There's no one here either." She muttered. "What time is it anyway?" she looked down at her watch, but the hands weren't moving. Of course. It was painted on now.

Godric shrugged, throwing his curls out of his eyes as he sat in the high backed wooden chair. "It's Halloween. They still have the feast, do they not?"

"Oh, right. Of course." Tonks could have slapped herself for forgetting that. "So we just wait for someone to come along." She sighed, perching on the arm of Godrics chair.

"We wont have to wait long, I'm sure." He reassured her, putting a hand on her thigh. She raised an eyebrow. This was not happening. A painting was not flirting with her… she stood quickly, and began pacing.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, a single person came down the hall. Tonks leaned forward as far as she could… she was sure she recognised that mop of unruly black hair…

"Harry! Harry, up here!"

Harry looked around, confused.

"Up here!" Tonks waved her arms, almost hitting Godric in the face as he stood.

"Up here lad!" he called out."

Harry looked up, frowning, mouth agape. Shaking his head, he started moving away.

"Oi! Wotcher Harry!" Tonks called desperately.

Harry turned, frowning. "Tonks?"

"YES! I'm in here, Harry!" she waved.

"In where?" he was looking up and down the corridor.

"Up in the painting my boy!" Godric called out to him.

Harry looked up and finally, he saw her waving frantically about half way up the stone wall.

"OH! How did you get in there?" he asked.

"Long story," Tonks called down. "Is Dumbledore around?"

Harry shrugged. "He wasn't at the feast. I think he's gone out somewhere again."

"Crap!" Tonks could feel her throat blocking up. She wouldn't cry…

"He'll be back tomorrow though. I've got a meeting with him in the afternoon."

"Ok, that's not too bad…"

"I could get Filch?" Harry suggested.

"If you can find him," Tonks said dully. "He could be anywhere."

Harry grinned. "Easy." He flicked his wand, and a huge glop of mud slapped onto the ceiling. "Oops."

There was a loud wheezing, and Filch appeared out of nowhere, followed closely by Mrs. Norris. "what are you doing? Throwing mud I see? I'll have you this time…"

"Oh, sorry Mr. Filch, accident!" Harry quickly cleaned up the mud. "But what I really wanted, Mr. Filch, was some help. See, a friend of mine's got stuck in a painting…"

"What?"

"Erm… Mr. Filch? Up here!" Tonks waved out of the painting. "It's Nymphadora Tonks… I used to go here…"

But Filch was backing away, eyes widening in horror. "No… I remember you… NO!" and with he turned and ran, with Mrs Norris on his heels.

"Oops. I forgot about that…"

"What did you do?" Harry asked, bemused.

"I accidentally got Mrs Norris trapped in one of the Quidditch hoops." Tonks replied. "Forgot about that…"

Harry sniggered. Even Godric was laughing merrily beside her. She nudged him in the ribs, annoyed.

"So I have to wait till tomorrow then." She sighed.

"Guess so." Harry said. "Unless you think someone else can help."

Tonks shrugged. "Maybe you should go find McGonagall and Snape… just in case."

Harry made a face. "Why would you want that git-"

Tonks raised her eyebrows, hoping Harry might get the message. It was the order she needed now.

"OOOH… yeah, right. Got it. Well, I'll be back soon then." He turned and ran down the corridor, towards the Transfiguration department.

"Well, that's that." Said Godric, sitting back. "Now we wait."

"And now we wait." Tonks curled up at his feet, not wanting a replay of what had happened when she sat on his chair. Unfortunately, this didn't stop Godric from playing with her hair. She couldn't help thinking how strange it was that Godric Gryffindor was flirting with her…

"Really Potter, what are you on about?" McGonagall said.

"Just come see Professor really!"

"I don't see why you need the two of us, Potter-"

"He's probably seeing things again, Minerva," Snape sneered.

"Severus, really!"

"Professor, just look! Up there!"

McGonagall and Snape both looked up at the wall. Tonks waved sadly out of the painting.

"Merlin." McGonagall whispered. Waving her wand, she slowly lowered the painting to the ground, and she and Snape crouched in front of it.

"How-"

"Bellatrix." Tonks replied grimly.

"Why Nymphadora," Snape said quietly, looking at Godric, "Whatever were you doing at Godrics Hollow?"

Tonks didn't reply. She just glared at him. It really wasn't any of his business.

"She told me she was looking for someone, sir," Godric said. Tonks blushed. Why Merlin, why?

"Never mind what she was doing, Severus," McGonagall snapped, waving her hand. "Can you get her out?"

Snape shook his head. "This is beyond my skills. I have to say though, it's a very clever concept, I'll have to talk to her about that…"

Tonks cleared her throat. "So what do I do then?"

"You'll have to wait for Dumbledore, I'm afraid." McGonagall said, standing and wiping the dust off her robes. "He should be back first thing, I'll send him immediately."

"Thanks." Sighing, Tonks leaned back against the chair, watching McGonagall and Snape walk away.

"Sorry," Harry muttered, turning to leave.

"Hey, could you do me a favour, Harry?" he nodded. Blushing, Tonks continued. "Could you send a letter to Remus, and let him know? It's just," she added hastily, seeing the confused look on Harrys face, "That we were supposed to meet up today, and I don't want him to worry."

"Oh. Okay then."

"Thanks."

Darkness grew in the corridor. The moonlight streamed through the windows, casting pale, warped shadows along the floor. Tonks shuddered. School had never looked this creepy when she snuck out before.

"I'll be sad to see you go," Godric said quietly. She stared at the suit of armour opposite.

"It's been fun, I guess." She muttered. Or not…

"It's nice to have company… I get so lonely, you see…"

"I know the feeling."

Godric lowered himself to the floor next to her. "Do you?"

"There's a reason I was looking for someone today. Why I wasn't out getting pissed or whatever on Halloween. I've been lonely for a while too."

"I'm sorry."

She shrugged. "It's stupid."

"On the contrary…" he put his arm around her.

Well, this was awkward…

"I can't see why anyone wouldn't want to be with someone like you," he said softly.

Okay, this needs to stop…

"Look,Godric-" she turned her head to look at him, but before she knew it, he was kissing her.

He pulled back.

"ahh…" was all Tonks could manage.

He went red. "Sorry, I shouldn't have…" he jumped back into his chair, and spent the next few hours looking the other way.

Tonks spent the next few hours trying to get the taste of paint out of her mouth.

Finally, just as the sun was starting to shine dimly into the corridor, Tonks heard footsteps, and saw a swish of purple robes. Dumbledore crouched in front of the painting, peering at her over his half moon glasses.

"Nymphadora."

She gave a small smile, before yawning.

He smiled in return. "I do hope Godric has been nice to you." She nodded quickly.

"You can get me out, right?" she asked desperately. He nodded, pulling his wand out of his pocket.

"I'm afraid this is going to hurt." Frowning in concentration, he waved his wand in a complicated motion over the painting.

It was like apparation, only a thousand times worse. Every pore in her body was screaming out in pain, and she could feel hundreds of hot knives being pushed against her skin. She didn't know if it was working or not; she no longer cared. She just wanted the pain to end.

Everything was black.

"Nymphadora? How do you feel?"

Groggily, Tonks pushed herself into a sitting position. Every part of her ached. "Like crap," she muttered, rubbing her eyes. She was in the Hospital wing. Dumbledore laughed.

"Only to be expected, I suppose. Do you think you might be up to having a visitor though? Someone's been waiting all day for you to come round."

Tonks looked behind Dumbledore, and smiled with relief. Remus was there, looking horribly tired and worried, but happy. Looking back at Dumbledore, she smiled and nodded in thanks.

"I'll leave you to it, then."

Remus sat awkwardly on the edge on the seat next to her bed. There were dark bags under his eyes, and he needed a shave badly.

He clutched his hands in his lap. "I thought you were dead." He said hoarsely. "You weren't waking up."

With a small smile, Tonks reached out and stroked his prickly cheek. "I'm fine. Honestly."

He stared at her. "You sure?"

"Well, I feel like every bone in my body has been broken and put back together again, but apart from that, fine. Peachy."

"Fine," he repeated, taking her small hand in his. Frowning, he looked at her face. "Why is there paint on your lips?"

She blushed. "Oh… I was snogged by a very raunchy Godric Gryffindor." She wiped it of on the back of her hand.

She saw the hint of a smile in the corners of his mouth.

"You were looking for me."

"Yes." She murmured.

"Why?"

She paused. "I didn't want you to feel lonely anymore. It sucks."

"Yeah. It does."

"Stay?" she asked quietly, looking at his hand, holding her own. She missed him.

He nodded. "Of course. Of course I'll stay."

He gripped her hand tighter.


End file.
